Private Detectives and Investigators pay range in Little Rock
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,480 a year or less, while the top 10% make $76,140 or more. The middle half of private detectives and investigators in Little Rock earn between $37,620 and $63,220.
- $36K10th
- $38K25th
- $48KMedian
- $63K75th
- $76K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $54,120 | $4,510 | $26.02 |
| Median | $47,960 | $3,997 | $23.06 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $37,620 | $3,135 | $18.09 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $63,220 | $5,268 | $30.39 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Private Detectives and Investigators pay in Little Rock vs. Arkansas and the U.S.
Private detectives and investigators in Little Rock earn 7% less than the Arkansas average ($57,940) and 10% less than the U.S. average ($60,150). At the median the gap is -6% against the U.S. median of $51,220.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Rock | $54,120 | $47,960 | $36,480 | $76,140 | 100 |
| Arkansas | $57,940 | $47,750 | $35,990 | $107,930 | 370 |
| United States | $60,150 | $51,220 | $36,740 | $97,630 | 35,580 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Private Detectives and Investigators salary after taxes in Little Rock
On the average salary of $54,120, a single filer in Little Rock takes home about $44,150 a year, or $3,679 a month and $1,698 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Arkansas tax is estimated with the Department of Finance and Administration's 2026 withholding formula.
Is Little Rock a good place for private detectives and investigators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Little Rock area are 11% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 89.4), so the average $54,120 buys what about $60,561 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Little Rock ($45,790). A typical home costs $231,039, or 4.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Private Detectives and Investigators salary in other Arkansas cities
Little Rock ranks 1st of 2 Arkansas metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Little Rock$54,120
- Fort Smith$46,790
All Private Detectives and Investigators salaries in Arkansas
Highest-paying cities for private detectives and investigators
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($78,960).
- San Francisco, CA$78,960
- Salem, OR$78,540
- Memphis, TN$78,160
- Portland, OR$77,440
- Seattle, WA$77,230
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Private Detectives and Investigators salary in Little Rock: questions
How much do private detectives and investigators make an hour in Little Rock?
$26.02 an hour on average, and $23.06 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level private detectives and investigators salary in Little Rock?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,480 a year and the 25th percentile is $37,620, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the private detectives and investigators take-home pay in Little Rock?
About $44,150 a year ($3,679 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $54,120. Arkansas tax is estimated with the Department of Finance and Administration's 2026 withholding formula.
Do private detectives and investigators earn more in Little Rock than elsewhere?
The average here is 10% less than the U.S. average for this job ($60,150).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 33-9021; area Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR (30780). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.5%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Arkansas tax is estimated with the Department of Finance and Administration's 2026 withholding formula.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.18, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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